Victim Of Crime - Conaway & Strickler

TITLE IX: Accused of sexual misconduct, harassment, or rape at a university?

Conaway & Strickler, P.C. — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 21:43:22 GMT

The investigation and hearing process for those accused of Title IX complaints can be a harrowing process. It is important to know that you may not only be facing a reprimand, suspension or expulsion (and a permanent notation on your academic record) but you also could be facing criminal charges. It is also important to note that additional final regulations of Title IX became effective August 1, 2024. These changes modified key aspects of Title IX including the role of the advisor. It is therefore very important to fully understand Title IX procedures and securing the right advisor is critical to protecting yourself now and in the future.

Here are some basic terms of the process:

Complainant: the individual(s) making the allegation

Respondent: the individual(s) against whom the allegation is made who is responding to the allegation

Witness: an individual who has direct knowledge of or information about the allegation being made

Investigator: the individual charged with gathering information, including statements of the complainant, the respondent and witnesses, documents, texts, photos, pictures, images, and recordings, analyzing the information gathered, and determining by a preponderance of the evidence what happened.

Advisor: This is where we come in, we will be your formal advisor on the entire process.

Preponderance: the standard against which information and evidence gathered during the investigation is assessed. The preponderance of evidence standard means “more likely than not.”

The hearings and investigative process is nothing like the criminal justice system. The standard of proof is much lower and court evidence rules are not utilized. The process also moves really quickly. So, contact a knowledgeable education law attorney at Conaway & Strickler, PC to represent you in these proceedings.

Here is a short overview of the process:

A complaint is filed alleging misconduct or some sort of violation on your part.
The complaint is reviewed. You may be contacted for an informal discussion, especially if the allegation is a mild infraction, and in some cases, the issue may be resolved here.
An investigation is conducted.This may be a Dean, a Conduct Officer, an Honor Council, an Academic Progress Committee, an investigator etc.
An investigative final report is prepared. Statements and other supporting documents are collected/reviewed.
Formal hearing is scheduled. Each side can “testify'” along with any witnesses.
The disciplinary panel will make a determination and recommendation of punishment.
The student will be notified in writing of the punishment.
The student will have a window of time to appeal, if applicable.
There may be a separate appeals hearing, after which the decision will be final.

Conaway & Strickler will help students navigating the Title IX process in all undergraduate and graduate arenas nationwide. Contact us now to discuss in more detail.

Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency Money Laundering

Conaway & Strickler, P.C. — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 15:30:15 GMT

What is Bitcoin money laundering? Bitcoin money laundering is the process of using Bitcoin to conceal the origins of illegally obtained money. This can be done by transferring the Bitcoin to multiple accounts, mixing it with other Bitcoin, or using it to purchase goods or services. Some believe that Bitcoin transactions are anonymous. There are, however, transaction records that are stored in the blockchain and publicly visible. The FBI recently stated “Criminals always leave tracks, and …[this] is a reminder that the FBI has the tools to follow the digital trail, wherever it may lead” .

Bitcoin is definitely attractive to money launderers because it is a decentralized currency that is not subject to government regulation. This makes it difficult, but not impossible, to track and trace Bitcoin transactions. Additionally, Bitcoin is often used in online transactions, which makes it easy to conceal the identity of the sender and receiver.

There are a number of ways to launder money using Bitcoin. One common method is to use a mixer, which is a service that mixes Bitcoin from multiple sources together. This makes it difficult to trace the original source of the Bitcoin. Another method is to use a tumbler, which is a service that breaks up Bitcoin transactions into smaller pieces and then reassembles them. This makes it difficult to track the individual transactions.

Bitcoin can also be used to purchase goods or services that are difficult to trace, such as drugs or weapons. This can make it difficult to identify the source of the funds used to purchase the goods or services.

Money laundering is a serious crime that can have a significant impact on the economy. It can also be used to finance terrorism and other criminal activities. Conaway & Strickler can help if the government is questioning you about or charging you with money laundering /wire fraud /bank fraud charges.

A lot of the times a money mule is utilized in money laundering schemes. A money mule is a person who transfers money on behalf of someone else, often without knowing that they are involved in a criminal activity. Money mules are typically recruited through online job scams, romance scams, or other fraudulent schemes. They are then asked to receive money from criminals, often through wire transfers or cryptocurrency transactions. The money is then transferred to other accounts, or used to purchase goods or services.

Money mules are often unaware that they are involved in a criminal activity. They may be promised a share of the money, or they may be led to believe that they are helping someone in need. However, money mules are always at risk of being caught and prosecuted. They may also face financial losses, as they may be held responsible for any money that is stolen from the criminals. The government often goes after these low end cases and prosecutes them federally.

Again, contact us immediately if you are being questioned by a federal agent about any of these issues.

After a Data Breach, What to Do?

Conaway & Strickler, P.C. — Thu, 14 May 2020 19:47:43 GMT

After the Hack: A Data Breach Post Game Show

As chair of the Cyber Crime committee at iTechlaw, Meg Strickler gives her insight on data breaches from various perspectives on an iTechlaw webinar this week. She and the other panelists discuss:

The criminal charge of BEC (Business email compromise) fraud
Representing a victim of BEC
Theft of trade secrets
Representing a victim of theft of trade secrets by a disgruntled employee or insider
Protecting small companies from potential hacks/ data breaches
Contacting law enforcement after a hack/breach
Commencing civil litigation in an attempt at restitution
Aggravated identity theft
Protection of PII
Cyber insurance

Please watch here: https://lnkd.in/gjHgVWt

Victim of Crime – Criminal Negligence

Conaway & Strickler, P.C. — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 14:08:13 GMT

Victim of Crime: 11Alive/NBC News #TheLateFeed: Why are there no charges after vet died in nursing home? Please see the video here Meg Strickler discusses the possible charges against a nursing home in Georgia including felony murder, perjury, criminal negligence, elder abuse and obstruction.

As per the article “An 11Alive investigation uncovered hidden camera video catching nursing home staff laughing while an elderly patient dies in front of them. The incident happened at the Northeast Atlanta Health and Rehabilitation in 2014, but the video was recently released as part of a lawsuit filed by the family.

Attorneys representing the Atlanta nursing home tried to prevent 11Alive from obtaining the video. They asked a DeKalb County judge to keep the video sealed and then attempted to appeal to the Georgia State Supreme Court. The judge ruled in favor of 11Alive and the nursing home eventually dropped its appeal to the state’s highest court. The video includes almost six hours of video court deposition from a nursing supervisor explaining how she responded to the patient before she knew the hidden camera video existed. The video shows a completely different response.

The deceased patient is 89-year-old James Dempsey, a decorated World War II veteran from Woodstock, Georgia.”

Conaway & Strickler can also help you if you are victim and need help prosecuting the case. We have strong relationships with law enforcement and more importantly know how to prosecute the case. We know what charges will fit the crime and we know how to get the government to listen to you and bring charges. Please see other blog entries here.